Books can act as mirrors or windows for children, and columnist Dr. Artika R. Tyner argues that culturally relevant stories matter more than most parents realize. She breaks down how to build a home library that does both.
Minneapolis
Posted inBusiness
Governor’s office recognizes Dr. Sharhonda York Chea for transforming justice through research
A conversation with a parole officer as a teenager set Dr. Sharhonda York Chea on a path from watching her father’s reentry to earning a PhD and building a research firm dedicated to reducing recidivism. Contributing writer Lizzy Nyoike has her story.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Five making their mark
Five former Twin Cities prep stars are now leading the next generation, moving from standout players to head coaches and community leaders across Minnesota high school sports. Sports columnist Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald has the roundup.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Extreme heat, rising risk: What it means for Black Twin Cities hearts
Extreme heat is putting real strain on the heart this summer, and in the Twin Cities, that risk falls hardest on communities of color. Associate Editor Jasmine McBride breaks down the racial gap, the warning signs and how to stay safe.
Posted inTheater
Rose McGee’s ‘Kumbayah’ marks 30 years of telling freedom’s story
Rose McGee’s “Kumbayah The Juneteenth Story” marked 30 years at St. Paul’s The O’Shaughnessy, with cast members drawing direct lines from the play’s history to Operation Metro Surge and police brutality today. Ella Stern reports.
Posted inEducation
Black Teens Lead in AI Use for Schoolwork. But at What Cost?
Black teens use AI chatbots for schoolwork at three times the rate of white teens, according to new Pew data. Contributing writer Anya Armentrout reports on what that means for learning, cheating and emotional support.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
North Connections: Past and Present
From a Hall of Fame coach to two NFL players giving back, sports columnist Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald rounds up five of the strongest athletic connections tied to Minneapolis North.
Posted inLocal & State
14 activists plead not guilty in anti-ICE caseÂ
Fourteen of the 15 activists federally charged for anti-ICE activity pleaded not guilty in Minneapolis on July 1. Contributing writer Ella Stern reports from the arraignment, where prosecutors revealed 20 terabytes of evidence and a judge rejected their bid for a 90-day extension.
Posted inWhat's Hot
What’s Hot: Fourth of July Weekend Events Across the Twin Cities
From Taste of Minnesota to a hands-on Ethiopian pottery workshop, here’s what’s happening across the Twin Cities this Fourth of July weekend.
Posted inDigital Editions
MSR Digital Edition 48 for July 2 – July 8, 2026
The MSR Digital Edition 48 for July 2 – July 8, 2026 is now live. Explore community news, sports, arts, and events. Edition 48, Volume 92.
Posted inCoaching while Black
Eight teams, one Juneteenth
Eight Twin Cities high school boys’ basketball teams gathered at Hoop Habits in Eden Prairie for a Juneteenth showcase of unity and competition, and all eight programs share one thing in common: every head coach is Black.
Posted inLocal & State
Minneapolis Considers Drone Pilot Program for North Minneapolis, Activists Push Back
Minneapolis is considering a 75-day Skydio drone pilot program in North Minneapolis, and activists, privacy experts and community members are pushing back, raising concerns about surveillance, corporate ties to Israeli military operations and a police department they say cannot be trusted with the technology.
Posted inPolitics
Sens. Smith, Klobuchar Urge Trump to Sign Landmark Housing Bill at Twin Cities Press Conference
U.S. Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar joined housing advocates in Edina to call on President Trump to sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the most significant federal housing legislation in more than 30 years, which he declined to sign despite its 85-5 Senate passage.
Posted inLocal & State
Minneapolis NAACP Calls for Ouster of Public Housing Director Over Heritage Park Conditions
The Minneapolis NAACP is calling for the immediate resignation or termination of Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Executive Director Abdi Warsame after revelations of widespread mold, water damage and neglect at Heritage Park Apartments, where half of the 440 units are empty or unsafe.
Posted inBusiness
Fractional CFO services are unlocking capital for Black businesses
Black Press USA contributing writer Amy Kang explains how fractional CFO services can help Black-owned businesses access capital, build investor-grade financial documentation and close the funding gap without the cost of a full-time executive.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Justice reform bills stall again at the Capitol, the fight continues
The Pretrial Data Transparency Act failed to pass for the second year in a row in Minnesota, but the Minnesota Justice for All Coalition is not deterred, continuing to push for reforms in a system where 63% of Hennepin County’s jail population is Black.
Posted inLocal & State
 Legal Rights Center Launches Hotline to Close Gap in Legal Defense for Low-Income Minnesotans
The Legal Rights Center has launched the First Defense Hotline, a 24/7 resource connecting Minneapolis arrestees with free legal counsel in the first hours after arrest, addressing the wealth gap in a legal system that too often leaves Black and brown Minnesotans without adequate representation.
Posted inFood
Patience is a form of power
Food columnist Lachelle Cunningham writes about chasing her great-grandmother’s fried green tomatoes, giving a Juneteenth keynote at Carleton College and finally claiming her voice as a writer, a healer and a social justice thought leader, with recipes for fried green tomatoes and potlikker mocktails.
Posted inJames on Jazz
100 years of Davis and Coltrane, and the loss of Sonny Rollins
MSR jazz columnist Robin James recaps the Twin Cities Jazz Festival at Mears Park, remembers the late great Sonny Rollins, and marks the 100th anniversary of Miles Davis and John Coltrane in a column celebrating Black Music Month.
Posted inLocal & State
Coalition calls on Twin Cities Pride to cut corporate tiesÂ
The Taking Back Pride Coalition held a press conference calling for Twin Cities Pride to drop corporate sponsors including Delta, United Health Group and 3M and remove police presence, marking the coalition’s tenth year organizing around anti-corporate, anti-police Pride demands.